March for Life shows gains by abortion opponents

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WASHINGTON -- Thousands of abortion opponents are gathering in the shadow of the Washington Monument for an annual rally that's taken on new energy this year with President Donald Trump in office.

Vice President Mike Pence will address the crowd gathered for the March for Life, the first time a sitting vice president has done so. His visit prompted extra security for the annual rally, which marks the anniversary of the 1973 Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion.

Glenn Miller, a 60-year-old cabinet maker from Coventry, Connecticut, says this is his fourth march and it's easily the most enthusiastic. He says Trump has given a voice to those who oppose abortion and that the previous administration "didn't care."

"The March for Life began in Washington, DC, as a small demonstration and rapidly grew to be the largest pro-life event in the world," according to the march's website. At past events, Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush addressed the event via telephone as well.

He said he voted for Trump reluctantly because he didn't feel like he had a choice. He says he's been encouraged by the administration's actions on abortion so far.

White House Counsel Kellyanne Conway will also speak at the annual event.

"The March for Life began in Washington, DC, as a small demonstration and rapidly grew to be the largest pro-life event in the world," according to the march's website.

Several Republican lawmakers and activists hope to use the event to "unite and strategize around a common message," according to the group's mission statement.

More than 60% of Republicans said abortion should be illegal in all or most cases, according to a Pew Research Center poll.

Trump often campaigned on promising to nominate a Supreme Court justice with conservative views on abortion and pledged to back anti-abortion rights justices who would overturn Roe v. Wade as well as send the issue back to the states, in an interview with "60 Minutes."

Nearly seven-in-ten Americans say Roe v. Wade should not be completely overturned, according to a Pew Research Center poll.